Swiger



(No Model.)

' G. W. SWIGER.

POST SETTER.

No. 575,793. PatentedJa n. 26, 1897.

llVVE/VTOR GzMlflSurz /gen M ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE \VASI-IINGTON SWIGER, OF BROWN, WEST VIRGINIA.

POST-SETTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 575,793, dated January 26, 1897.

Application filed May 1, 1896. Serial No. 589,869. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE WAsHnvcToN SWIGER, residing at Brown, in the county of Harrison and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Post-Setter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improved fence-post setter.

The object of the invention is to dispense with post-hole diggers, earth-diggers, &c., and provide a simple device by means of which the post can be set quickly and easily, one person with my improved tool being able to accomplish more than several men and a number of tools commonly employed for setting posts.

Another object is to provide a post-setter which can be used in all kinds of ground,

rocky, soft, and wet, and a still further object is to provide a combined setter and sight whereby the posts can be set in a straight line without the use of a line.

With these various objects in view my invention consists in the peculiar construction of the various parts and in their novel combination or arrangement, all of which will be fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forminga part of this specification, Figure 1 shows the invention in use.

Fig. 2 is a detail View of the device. Fig. 3 is a sectional view. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the bail and sight-piece.

In carrying out my invention I employ a drive-post A, which is preferably about four feet in length and tapering gradually toward the lower end, said lower end having a pointed metallic ferrule B, secured thereon, and upon the top of post is secured a metallic band C, the purpose of which is to prevent the top of post from splitting or spreading as the post is driven into the ground.

In operating my post-setter the post A is driven into the ground by means of a suitable hammer, and the metallic ferrule makes the operation extremely easy, inasmuch as should a stone or rock be met with the metallic point will either turn the same to one side or pass directly therethrough.

In driving the post into the earth, the earth is of course compressed to all sides, and in case there is wet ground the water will be driven back and the base of the fence-post to be erected is inserted in the hole made by my improved drive-post, said drive-post being pulled out, and in order to provide a suitable lift for pulling the post up I arrange a lift-pin D, driven into the body of the post and passing either entirely or partially through the said post, as desired, said pin projecting outward a-suflicient distance to permit the attachment of ropes or chains thereto in order to lift the post from the earth, but this is seldom used, as it can be raised by hand, only in red-clay land.

The permanent post has the base thereof made tapering the same shape as the drivepost, as I have found that a post which gradually tapers will not collect water and become water-logged the same as a post which is of the same diameter throughout, and, furthermore, a post which snugly fits the hole already made to receive it will be held firmly in an upright position, inasmuch as the sides of the hole are tightly compacted around said post, as the drive-post has been driven into the earth and none of the earth extracted.

In order to avoid the necessity of plumblines for sighting, I employ a suitable sight device upon the upper end of the post, and also provide a suitable handle or bail for carrying the post by, In constructing these parts I employ a metallic U-shaped bail E, pivoted at its lower ends 6 to the sides of the post, and near the upper end of said bail at each side I attach the sight-pieces F and G, the sight-piece F being pointed, while the piece G is bifurcated at its upper end. When the post is being driven into the ground, the bail carrying the sight-pieces is thrown down to a horizontal position and the post hammered into the earth. Before the post is driven in, however, the position is first sighted by throwing the bail upward to a vertical position, then sighting through the bifurcated member over the point of the opposite member to the post which'has just been set, or to any post which it is desired to strike a line with.- After the proper position has thus been determined the bail is thrown down and the post driven into the ground, as before described.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. An improved post-setter, comprising a tapered drive-post having a pointed metallic ferrule at the lower end, the metallic band at the upper end the lift-pin, and the pivoted bail all arranged substantially as shown and described.

2. An improved post-setter, consisting of a drive-post constructed as described, the bail pivoted to the upper portion of said post, and the sight-pieces carried by said bail, substantially as shown and described.

An improved post-setter, comprising a drive-post constructed as described, the U- 

